Mold locking ring



May 2, 1961 J. J. FANNEN MOLD LOCKING RING 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March23, 1959 INVENTOR. Jain: J Pan]? en HTTYS May 2, 1961 J. J. FANNEN2,981,977

MOLD LOCKING RING Filed March 23, 1959 S Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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May 2, 1961 J. .1. FANNEN MOLD LOCKING RING 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed.March 25, 1959 R o T QM N N R w N a N Q & S. 3 WN mm R Q Q v Q 8 R N\ WM w John .1 Fannen nited States 1 MOLD LOCKING RING John J. Fannen,Lodi, Calif., assiguor to Super Mold Corporation of California, acorporation of California Filed Mar. 23, 1959, so. No. 8015174 10Claims. (Cl. 18-43) cuate sections hinged together at adjacent ends,except" at one point where such ends are free.

-A major object of the present invention is to provide an improved latchfor the free ends of the ring, which enables a cinching-up or clampingaction, to any extent desired, to be imparted to the ring after thelatch is engaged between said free ends.

The latch includes actuating handles, and in order to prevent accidentalor inadvertent manual movement of the handles in a latch releasingdirection, an automatically functioning safety device is provided toprevent such handle movement except when intended; the provision of suchimportant feature being another object of the invention.

The clamping action produced by the latch tends to Wedge the ring on the"mold so that said ring is not readily released even when the latch isdisengaged. It is therefore another object of the invention to providemeans mounted in part in connection with the latch which will impart abreak-away or unwed'ging action to the adjacent sections of the ringafter the latch is disengaged; such means being actuated at the will ofthe operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide breakaway means for thering sections at their hinged ends so that-upon outward or openingmovement of the sections-they will be released from wedging engagementwith the mold adjacent said hinged ends.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a mold locking ringwhich is'designed for ease and economy of manufacture, and convenienceof use.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a practical,reliable, and durable mold locking ring, and one which will beexceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed, v

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings: v is Fig. 1 is'a plan view of the improved mold lockingring, shown in its locked position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of the ring, shown in :1released position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, partly broken out and in section, showing theaction of the break-away levers.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan of the ring, mainly in section,and showing the same in the locked position of Fig. 1. w s

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation 'of the ring in its lockedposition.

atent ICC Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 66 of Fig. 4.,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional plan of one of the ring hinges, showingthe break-away lever mounted in connection therewith. l v d Fig. 8 is afragmentary cross section on line 8--8 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings,

certain features which will be described in detail later.

Trunnions 7 are secured to, and project outwardly from, sections 4 and5;-said trunnions being in alinement diametrally of the ring 2 when thelatter is closed about the mold and being for the purpose recited in theaforementioned application for patent. v I

The ring latching and release or break-away mechanism, which forms thesubject matter of this invention, is constructed as follows: r v

Secured on and projecting radially out from ring section 4 adjacent itsfree end are transversely spacedjear's 8 between which a lever,indicated generally at 9, is pivoted nearone end, as at 10. v s I H Suchlever 9, which normally extends tangentially of the ring section 4,includes a cam portion 11 at said one end thereof, a hollow elongatedshank 1 2 rigid with said portion 11 and longitudinally alinedtherewith, a pin 13 slidable but non-turnable in the shank andprojecting some distance beyond the outer end thereof, and a handle 14.The outer portion of the pin is threaded, as at 15 while the outerportion of the handle is tapped, asat 16, and engages the threadedportion of. the pin, as shown -F s- The inner portion of the handle -1 4is formed as a skirt '17 which overlies the outer portion of the shank12 in t'urnable relation thereto; a thrust washer 18 being seated in thehandle and engaging the outer end of the shank.

The pin 13 is prevented from rotating in the shank 1 2 by means of across pin 19 projecting through the pinparallel to the axis of the ring2, and through elongated slots 20 in the upper and lower facesof saidshank. At its ends the cross pin 19 supports the adjacent ends of Ilinks 21, which are of a length to extend beyond the cam end of thelever 9 and are connected at their ends opposite the cross pin 19 by afixed latch pin 22, so that the links 21 and said pin 22 form a rigidlatch unit. The spacing between the links 21 is such that they not onlystraddle- 1 the shank 12, but the ears 8 as well.

The latch pin 22 is adapted, when the rings 4 and'S are" in a closedposition about the mold, to 'releasably engage in a retaining notch 23which faces outwardly relative to ring section 5. This notch is cut inthe adjacent endof a lever 24 which normally extends tangentially ofring section 5 in a direction away from lever 9. Lever 24'is pivotednear its notched end, as at 25, between ears 26 mounted on andprojecting outwardly from ring section 5 adjacent its free end. At itsouter end lever 24 is formed as a handle 27.

With the above arrangement, it will be seen that with the lever 9disposed in a certain angular relation to lever 24, the latch pin 22 maybe swung toward lever 24 to enter notch 23, as indicated in Fig. 2. Uponthe lever 9 being then swung toward the ring section 4, and,v so thatthe pins 19 and 22 are beyond a dead-center position relative to thelever pivot 10, the ring sections 4 and 5 will be moved to and held in alocked position. If it is found that said ring sections 4 and 5 do notthen have the desired firm clamping action about the moldyit PatentedMay 2, 1961 is only necessary to rotate the handle 14 in a direction torelatively retract the pin 13 through the handle, which actually movesthe shank 12 in the opposite direction or toward lever 24 so as to bringthe free ends ofthe ring sections closer together. Rotation of thehandle 14 inthe opposite direction will facilitate the releasing of thelatch unit, as will be obvious.

When manipulating the ring-clamped mold, there is at times a tendency onthe part of the Operators to grab and pull out on the lever handles, andthis action-with an inflated tire in the mold-would release themoldlocking ring, with possibly disastrous consequences.

To prevent such accidental and undesired release of the ring, a simplesafety device is provided. Such device comprises a free swinging bar 28pivoted on the outer side of the shank 12 at a point between the leverpivot 10 and the pin 19, as shown at 29., The bar 28 when in a normaldepending position overlaps the outer edges of both links 21, as shownin Fig. 5, and thus prevents the lever 9 froin being swung out to thelatch unit releasing position of Fig. 2. The bar 28 is, however, of alesser width than the depth of the shank 12 or the spacing between thelinks 21, and is provided on its lower or free end with an outwardlyprojecting thumb piece 30. This enables the operator, when one hand ofsuch opera'tor is grasping the handle 14, to engage the thumb'piece 30with the thumb of said hand and lift and hold the bar 28 in a horizontalposition, alined with the shank and between the links 21, while thelever 9 is being swung out to a latch unit releasing position, asindicated in Fig. 2. The bar 28 will then remain in this position, beingheld up by the lower link 21, until the latch unit is again moved to alocking position. 1

The ring sections 3, 4, and are of flaring channel form in section, asshown in Fig. 8, and when tightly clamped about the mold tend to wedgeon the mating, circumferential ribs 31 of the matrix halves 1, and whichthe locking ring 2 engages.

' In order to readily break the ring sections loose from these ribs,should it be necessary when unlocking and withdrawing the ring fromabout the mold, the following arrangement is provided:

other.

similar finger 44 is mounted on the hinged end of ring section 5.

In order to limit the opening movement of the ring sections 4 and 5relative to ring section 3, each hinge pin 42 is engaged, between thecooperating male and female ears 41 of said hinge, by a spring clip 45having outwardly extending fingers 46 diverging relative to each Anadjustable set screw 47 is mounted in one finger 46 and projects towardthe other finger. The fingers project through an opening 48 formedbetween the cross plates 49 which connect the corresponding hinge earsoutwardly of the hinge pin 42. Thus, when the 9 adjacent ends of thecross plates approach each other as that there has been produced such adevice as substantially fulfills the objects herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice of the invetnion, as setforth such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not forma departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

Disposed between the ears 8 between the'adjacent portion of the lever 9and the ring section 4 is a short curvededge' lever 32 which extendsgenerally tangentially of said section. This lever 32 is pivoted at itsend farthest (from the free end of said section on the ears 8. as at 33;the ring section 4 having a longitudinal slot 34 through which the lever32 may project. The edge of the adjacent end portion of the lever 9which faces lever 32 is formed as a cam surface 35. Upon outwardswinging of lever 9 through an are greater than that merely necessary torelease the latch unit, the lever 32 will be engaged by said cam surface35 and swung about its pivot 33 so as to press firmly against theperiphery of the mold ribs 31, as shown in Fig. 3, and thus breaks thering section 4 loose from said ribs.

A similar lever 36 is pivoted at one end, as at 37, between the ears 26and projects through a slot 38 in the ring section 5. The adjacent faceof the lever 24, opposite the notch 23, is formed as a cam surface 39for engagement with the free end of lever 36. An outward pull on handle27 will cause lever 36 to be pressed against the periphery of the moldribs 31 to break the ring section 5 away from said ribs.

- 'To break the back ring section 3 away from the mold ribs when thering section 4 is swung outwardly about its hinge 6, a rigid finger 40is fixed on the hinged end of the section 4 between the spaced ears 41of hinge 6; the hinge pin 42 being radially outward of the ring sectionsand finger. Said finger projects beyond the adjacent end of ring section4 and through a slot 43 in the adjacent end in ring section 3 forpressing engagement with the periphery of the ribs 31 upon any materialopening-out movement being imparted to ring section 4. A.

1. In a locking ring to surround a full-circle tire mold, a pair ofopposed arcuate ring sections initially free of each'other at one endwith such ends normally dispoesd in adjacent and facing relation whenthe ring is engaged about the mold, and manually operable latch means toreleasably connect the sections at such free ends thereof; said latchmeans comprising a member mounted on one ring section adjacent said freeend thereof and having a notch facing radially out from said section, alever pivoted adjacent one end on the other ring section adjacent thefree end thereof with the pivotal axis parallel to the axis of the ring,a latch unit mounted on the lever and including a link pivoted at oneend on the lever at a point between the pivot of the lever and the outerend thereof, and a pin onthe link at the other end thereof arranged toenter the notch when the lever is swung outwardly from said other ringsection to a predetermined angular position relative thereto; the linkbeing arranged to extend along and overlie the lever when the pin isengaged in the notch and the lever is swung toward said other ringsection from said angular position, and means functioning automaticallywhen the link overlies the lever and the ring is disposed with its axisvertical to then prevent outward swinging of the lever and the resultantrelease of the latch unit, said last named means comprising a bar on theouter side of the lever and pivoted thereon at a point between the leverpivot and the pivotal connection of the link with said lever, the barnormally swinging free and depending from the lever and overlying theouter side edge of the link and being arranged so that when swungupwardly to lie alongside the lever, it will clear the link.

2. In a locking ring to surround a full-circle tire mold, a pair ofopposed arcuate ring sections initially free of each other at one endwith such ends normally disposed in adjacent and facing relation whenthe ring is engaged about the mold, and manually operable latch means toreleasably connect the sections at such free ends thereof; said latchmeans comprising a member mounted on one ring section adjacent said freeend thereof and having a notch facing radially out from said section, alever pivoted adjacent one end on the other ring section adjacent thefree end thereof with the pivotal axis parallel to the axis of the ring,a latch unit mounted on the lever and including a link pivoted at oneend on the lever at a point between the pivot of the lever and the outerend thereof and a cross pin on the link at the other end thereofarranged to enter the notch when the lever is swung outwardly from'saidother ring section to a predetermined angular position relative thereto,the lever including a rotatable handle at its outer end, and meansconnecting the handle and link pivot to adjust said pivot lengthwise ofthe lever upon rotation of the handle; the central portion of the leverbeing longitudinally hollow to its outer end, said last named meanscomprising a pin non-turnably slidable in said central portion, the linkpivot being mounted in said pin transversely thereof and projectingthrough longitudinal slots in the hollow lever portion; the pinprojecting beyond said central portion and into the handle and havingrelative turnable threaded connection therewith, the handle bearingagainst the outer end of said hollow portion of the lever.

3. In a locking ring to surround a full-circle tire mold, a pair ofopposed arcuate ring sections initially free of each other at one endwith such ends normally disposed in adjacent and facing relation whenthe ring is engaged about the mold, manually operable latch means toreleasably connect the sections at such free ends thereof, said meansincluding a control lever pivoted adjacent one end on one sectionadjacent the free end thereof and radiallyout therefrom. the lever pivotbeing parallel to the axis of the ring, and means mounted on said onering section and actuated upon outward swinging of the lever apredetermined amount from said section, to exert a break-away pressureagainst the periphery of a mold embraced by the ring.

4. A structure, as in claim 3, in which said last named means comprisesanother lever pivotally supported at one end from said one ring sectionand extending generally tangentially thereof in a position between thecontrol lever pivot and said section, the latter being slotted along theother lever for engagement thereof with the periphery of the mold, and acam surface on the edge of the control lever adjacent the pivoted endthereof to engage said other lever and urge the same against theperiphery of the mold with such outward swinging of said control lever.

5. A locking ring to surround a full-circle mold in clamping relationwith the periphery thereof comprising separate arcuate ring sections, ahinge connecting the sections at one end thereof for outward swinging ofone section relative to the other, and means mounted on one sectionadjacent the hinge and functioning upon outward swinging of said sectionrelative to the mold to move both sections at said end radially out fromthe mold.

6. A structure, as in claim 5, in which said means comprises a rigidfinger secured on the periphery of said one section and projectingbeyond the hinged end thereof for engagement of the projecting end ofsaid finger with the periphery of the mold.

7. In a locking ring to surround a full-circle tire mold, a pair ofopposed arcuate ring sections initially free of each other at one endwith such ends normally disposed in adjacent and facing relation whenthe ring is engaged about the mold, and manually operable latch means toreleasably connect the sections at such free ends thereof; said latchmeans comprising opposed hand levers pivotally mounted on the ringsections adjacent said free ends, the levers normally extendinggenerally tangentially of the ring, an over-dead-center latch unitreleasably connecting the levers and normally clamping the ring aboutthe mold, said latch unit being releasable upon outward swinging of onelever, and means between said levers and the mold operative toforcefully disengage the ring sections from the mold upon outwardswinging of both levers, said one lever then being swung outward beyondits latch releasing position.

8. In a locking ring to surround a full-circle tire mold, a pair ofopposed arcuate ring sections initially free of each other at one endwith such ends normally disposed in adjacent and facing relation whenthe ring is engaged about the mold, manually operable latch means toreleasably connect the sections at such free ends thereof, said latchmeans including levers pivotally mounted on the ring sections adjacentsaid free ends, and means between said levers and the mold operative toforcefully disengage the ring sections from the mold upon swinging ofboth levers, the initial swinging of one lever releasing the latch unit.

9. A locking ring to surround a full-circle mold in clamping relationwith the periphery thereof comprising separate arcuate ring sections, ahinge connecting the sections at one end thereof for outward swinging ofone section relative to the other, said hinge comprising a pair ofspaced ears on each section, the pairs of ears being arranged incooperating overlapping relation, a. transverse hinge pin supported byand connecting the ears, cross plates connecting the ears outwardly ofthe pin and leaving a relatively wide opening therebetween in which thepin is exposed, a spring clip on the pin between the ears includingfingers projecting outwardly through the opening in normally divergingrelation to each other and in clearance relation to the adjacenttransverse edges of the plates, and an adjustable set screw mounted inone finger in projecting relation toward the other finger andterminating in spaced relation thereto.

10. In a locking ring to surround a full-circle tire mold, a pair ofopposed arcuate ring sections initially free of each other at one endwith such ends normally disposed in adjacent and facing relation whenthe ring is engaged about the mold, and manually operable latch means toreleasably connect the sections at such free ends thereof; said latchmeans comprising a lever pivoted adjacent one end on one ring sectionadjacent said free end thereof and having an outwardly facing notch atthe end of the lever nearest the other ring section, another leverpivoted adjacent one end on the other ring section adjacent the free endthereof, the pivots of said levers being parallel to the axis of thering, latch means releasably connecting the levers and including a linkmounted at one end on said other lever and having a pin on the other endfor engagement with the notch, the levers being substantially tangent tothe ring and extending in opposite directions when the link is engagedand the ring sections are in clamping engagement with the mold, membersmovably mounted on the ring sections adjacent and radially inward of therespective lever pivots in position to engage the periphery of the moldupon movement of said members from a predetermined retracted position,and elements on the levers for engagement with the members to move thesame upon outward swinging of the levers from said tangential position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS484,235 Plunkett Oct. 11, 1892 491,645 Hart Feb. 14, 1893 689,201Kolster Dec. 17, 1901 1,455,625 Langenaw May 15, 1923 1,462,286 JepsonJuly 17, 1923 2,035,844 Stachow Mar. 31, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 549,989France Apr. 10, 1922 481,883 Great Britain Mar. 18, 1938 551,457 GreatBritain Feb. 23, 1943 664,608 Great Britain Jan. 9, 1949

